Weekly Top Picks for September 20th- 25th, 2019

We wait all year for this moment - the start of our favorite season!

Though the calendar reads September, devoted Halloween New England fans know the spirit of the Halloween season kicks off with the change in the temp, the turning color of the leaves, and the arrival of pumpkins at every local farm stand. Salem's Haunted Happenings Grand Parade is two weeks away and haunt-fans across New England are thrilled to welcome the first weekend of haunt openings this weekend!

Halloween New England always has your back all season long with hundreds of upcoming events listed to help you stay on top of new Halloween experiences and alerted to new attractions. Tune in each Thursday for our Top Picks, highlights for the weekend, special events not to be missed, incredible contests, and other essential info to keep you on top of everything this Halloween. Our event calendars grow every year and you'll never find more Halloween events in a single place than at Halloween New England.

If you are looking to narrow down our events listings to all-ages experiences, try our Family-Friendly Halloween Event Guides in several states will help you spot wonderful Halloween and pumpkin events for making memories and starting new traditions this year.

So many ways to celebrate Halloween, so little time to do it....that's why we start celebrating eight weeks early--and so should you.

At this point in September, there is just a smattering of Halloween themed and seasonally inspired events. As we get closer to October 31st you'll see more highlighted events to consider across New England...and of course, we always have more listings--plus events in the future--listed on the website. To whet your appetite for the season, here are a few worthwhile events for this weekend.

Massachusetts

With so much going on in Salem, MA every October, it couldn't be a better time to check out the many tours and attractions the city has to offer before the crowds kick in! Salem Historical Tours is currently serving up five different daily walking tours every afternoon plus they add their Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tour nightly starting in October. Look for tours on Salem Haunted History, Cemetery Tours, Salem Movie Site tours, a midday Ghost Tour and a Witchcraft Walk.  It's always wise to book early and they even offer discounts when you book multiple tours during your visit to the Witch City.

For the best of Salem planning, we have bookmarked the website and social media pages for Haunted Happenings Magazine for the most updated special local Salem events and new attractions.

This Saturday, September 21st is also the 12th annual Salem Wicked Half Marathon and walkers are welcome too!

The Medfield library is serving up a half-day Teen Costume Making Workshop this Saturday, Sept 21st where grades 5 and up can learn how to work with heat-moldable Fossshape to build costumes, armor, and more.

On Monday, September 23rd, the Holliston Historical Center is hosting a lecture called Lizzie Borden: The Mystery Continues featuring an hour-long retelling of the famous double homicide by historian Christopher Daley who'll be highlighting his researching using archival materials, period newspapers and period photographs.

Connecticut
The Monster Bash Halloween Party is coming to Whiting Mills in Winsted, CT this Saturday, September 21st! This free family-friendly event is designed to "spark creativity with hands-on workshops, make-up demos, celebrity guest performances" plus raffles to win incredible prizes! It's open to all people (children and adults) who have the drive to show their creative side and who are looking for hands-on workshops for every age to learn new ways to make their own Halloween costumes, decor, and more.

In Branford, this Saturday is Cosplay 101: Intro to Costuming and Cons for Teens at the Blackstone Library. Veteran cosplayer, Denny McDermott, will host a discussion on costuming for your everyday life--from conventions to renaissance faires, and everything in between. Teens and adults are invited to join us for this hour-long presentation, followed by a Q&A.

Rhode Island
It's going to be a gorgeous weekend of weather and what family wouldn't enjoy the annual Harry Potter Day festivities at Escobar Farm in Portsmouth, RI or the annual Great Pumpkin Festival in North Smithfield.
The Hearthside Museum in Lincoln will be hosting Validating the Afterlife presentation with spiritual medium Roland Comtois in the intimate setting of Hearthside's drawing room on Monday, September 23rd.
On Wednesday, September 25th Providence Ghost Tours invites you to join them for the Haunted Boat Tour "surrounded by the moon-lit bridges, cobblestone walkways and century-old parks of downtown, you will learn of Providence's dearly-deceased-but-not-so-departed residents; local literary giants and humble servants alike; their restless souls still stirring among the living." 

New Hampshire
Three fantastic events are lined up for this Saturday, September 21st in the Granite State. It'll be Kids Day at Costumania's superstore in West Lebanon. Open 10:00am-8:00pm, every child who walks through the door gets a goodie bag and a very special discount towards merchandise. Between 11:00am-3:00pm Kids can also enjoy complimentary face-painting and pizza!

In Portsmouth at dusk on Saturday is the first-ever Spooky Ride Portsmouth which is an all-ages group bike ride to benefit the Portsmouth Halloween Parade and proposes to "appease the undead at the same time". Ride will last about an hour and will take you past cemeteries, oddities, and possibly a haunted house. 

At the Strand in Dover, NH you won't want to miss the interactive film screening of "Jaws" (1975) complete with special adult cocktails.

Vermont
In Springfield, this Saturday, and Sunday, September 21st and 22nd treat yourself to the weekend-long Springfield Steampunk Festival where you'll find steampunk vendors and artists with their wares on display and for sale, food trucks, a beer tent, and a large Children's Program. Hartness House Inn will offer live music along with related workshops and panels and even a private absinthe tasting right before the headliner!

The always popular Giant Pumpkin Weigh-in at Sam Mazza Farms is lined up for this Sunday, September 22nd which is accompanied by plenty of outdoor harvest activities and family fun at one of the biggest pumpkin events of the season!

Contests: Opening Weekend Giveaways, Ticket 4-packs,
 VIP Passes, and Tickets Galore!

We've got ten contests live on Halloween New England by the end of today plus more posted over the weekend! Find ALL the contests that you can enter here.

Enter to WIN a pair of tickets to Fear Town Haunted House in Seekonk, MA, win a four-pack of tickets to Barrett's Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA, win a four-pack of tickets to 13th World haunted trail in Cumberland, RI, and another chance to win entry to the special invite-only night at Haunted Overload in Lee, NH.
For an entire night of haunt-going, enter to win VIP Speed Passes to Legends of Fear in Shelton, CT where you'll be treated to their haunted hayride and haunted trail with reduced wait time!
If you've been anticipating the debut of Ravenwood Haunted Farm in Haverhill, MA we've got your chance to win a pair of VIP Passes to check them out!

Opening Weekend welcomes more winners! Enter to win Opening Weekend combo tickets (haunts + rides) for The Haunted Graveyard in Bristol, CT and Opening Weekend tickets to The Haunted Speakeasy vintage Halloween party at the Bull Mansion, in Worcester, MA.

We're also running ticket contests for Haunt on Eden in Plantsville, CT, and you won't want to miss out on the chance to win admission for four to the Jack O' Lantern Spectacular in Providence, RI where you will experience the magic of over 5,000 carved pumpkins in a (gently) spooky atmosphere!

Visit Halloween New England's home page for contest details and links for entering to win!

 Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Friday, September 20th

Barrett's Haunted Mansion (Abington, MA)

The Haunted Isle (CT)

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

Haunted Houses, Haunted Mazes, and Haunted Hayrides Opening Saturday, September 21st

Sonny's Place (CT) Haunted Hayride

FrightFest at Six Flags New England (MA)
Screeemfest at Canobie Lake Park (NH)
Coppal House Farm (NH) – non-haunted Flashlight Corn Maze
Hathaway Farm Moonlight Maze (VT) - non-haunted Corn Maze

Click for the complete Opening Night Guide

We're thrilled to have teamed up again with the uber-talented The Pixel Perfection: After Dark whose incredibly creepy and inspiring haunt photos populate the guides again this year. As always, we know you love their photos...just please don't steal their photos! Why not just follow them on Facebook or Instagram or hire them to capture your Halloween attraction or event?